[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 67 (Thursday, May 25, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S5254]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REED (for himself and Mr. Chafee):
  S. 3187. A bill to designate the Post Office located at 5755 Post 
Road, East Greenwich, Rhode Island, as the ``Richard L. Cevoli Post 
Office.''; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to one of Rhode Island's 
most highly decorated soldiers, Commander Richard L. Cevoli of East 
Greenwich.
  Commander Cevoli served our nation bravely in both World War II and 
the Korean War. In honor of his sacrifices and service to his nation, I 
am introducing a bill, along with Senator Chafee, to name the post 
office located at 5775 Post Road in East Greenwich, RI, the ``Richard 
L. Cevoli Post Office.''
  Commander Cevoli was born in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, on October 
24, 1919, and died in a tragic plane crash in Florida on January 18, 
1955. He went to Rhode Island State College, which is now the 
University of Rhode Island, and earned a degree in civil engineering. 
In 1941, after graduation, he moved to New York and began working for 
the engineering firm of Merritt, Chapman & Scott.
  The month after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Richard Cevoli returned 
to Rhode Island and entered the Navy. He was sent to flight training in 
Dallas, Sanford, and Pensacola before being assigned to Squadron VF-18, 
based on the USS Intrepid in the Pacific.
  It was during his service with the VF-18 that Commander Cevoli was 
awarded the second-highest medal awarded in the Navy--the Navy Cross. 
This honor was given to Commander Cevoli during the Battle of Leyte 
Gulf off the Philippines coast in October of 1944. Along with other 
fighters, Commander Cevoli strafed the largest Japanese ship, silencing 
many of its guns. The following day, he severely damaged a Japanese 
aircraft carrier with a 500-pound bomb. On a subsequent attack on the 
Japanese forces, as is recorded in his medal citation, ``Cevoli 
disregarded the terrific antiaircraft opposition and scored a near miss 
on a Kongo class battleship with a 500-pound bomb. Then, pulling out he 
made a second run to strafe a destroyer, silencing its antiaircraft 
weapons and thereby contributing to our successful bombing and torpedo 
attacks which followed. His outstanding courage and determination were 
in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval 
Service.''
  Following his service during the war, he returned to Rhode Island and 
continued his Navy career at Naval Air Station, Quonset Point. However, 
the peace was short-lived. North Korea invaded South Korea, and another 
major conflict quickly began.
  From 1949 until 1951, Commander Cevoli served as the Executive 
Officer in Squadron VF-18 on board the USS Leyte, seeing action in 
Korea. In addition to the Navy Cross, Commander Cevoli earned two 
Distinguished Flying Crosses and eight Air Medals during his active 
flying career.
  Once the conflict in Korea had ended, Commander Cevoli was able to 
spend more time at home. He took classes at the Naval War College in 
Newport and in July, 1954 he was placed in command of Squadron VF-73. 
Tragically, he died serving his country when his plane crashed during a 
training mission.
  Commander Cevoli left behind a wife, Grace, and three children, 
Steven, Carol, and Elizabeth. A life-long resident of East Greenwich, 
Commander Cevoli's legacy is memorialized in the Rhode Island Aviation 
Hall of Fame.
  This legislation will pay tribute to this hero of Rhode Island and 
the United States, and I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring 
Commander Cevoli by supporting this bill.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of this 
legislation be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 3187

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. RICHARD L. CEVOLI POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The post office located at 5755 Post 
     Road, East Greenwich, Rhode Island, shall be known and 
     designated as the ``Richard L. Cevoli Post Office''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     post office referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to 
     be a reference to the Richard L. Cevoli Post Office.
                                 ______